NameCensus.

UK surname

Harley

From an English place name meaning "hare clearing," or a meadow where hares are found.

In the 1881 census there were 3,865 people recorded with the Harley surname, ranking it #1,181 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,943, ranked #1,132, up from #1,181 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, London parishes and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Powys, Shropshire and Kirkcaldy Linktown & Seafield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Harley is 6,022 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 53.8%.

1881 census count

3,865

Ranked #1,181

Modern count

5,943

2016, ranked #1,132

Peak year

2010

6,022 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Harley had 3,865 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,181 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,943 in 2016, ranked #1,132.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,897 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Harley surname distribution map

The map shows where the Harley surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Harley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Harley over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 2,826 #1,033
1861 historical 3,574 #787
1881 historical 3,865 #1,181
1891 historical 4,630 #1,008
1901 historical 4,897 #1,154
1911 historical 3,991 #1,279
1997 modern 5,545 #1,175
1998 modern 5,897 #1,146
1999 modern 5,908 #1,150
2000 modern 5,831 #1,160
2001 modern 5,657 #1,169
2002 modern 5,707 #1,186
2003 modern 5,600 #1,175
2004 modern 5,630 #1,166
2005 modern 5,606 #1,153
2006 modern 5,599 #1,157
2007 modern 5,674 #1,152
2008 modern 5,703 #1,149
2009 modern 5,856 #1,148
2010 modern 6,022 #1,148
2011 modern 5,886 #1,158
2012 modern 5,831 #1,137
2013 modern 5,927 #1,141
2014 modern 5,997 #1,141
2015 modern 5,937 #1,143
2016 modern 5,943 #1,132

Geography

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Where Harleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, London parishes, Edinburgh and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Powys, Shropshire, Kirkcaldy Linktown & Seafield, Greenock Town Centre and East Central and Caerphilly. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Powys 014 Powys
2 Shropshire 015 Shropshire
3 Kirkcaldy Linktown & Seafield Fife
4 Greenock Town Centre and East Central Inverclyde
5 Caerphilly 007 Caerphilly

Forenames

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First names often paired with Harley

These lists show first names that appear often with the Harley surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Harley

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Harley, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Harley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Harley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Harley is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Harley is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Harley falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Harley is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Harley, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Harley

The surname Harley is of Old English origin, derived from the place name Hartley, which means "the hart's (deer) meadow" or "the stag's meadow". It is believed to have originated in the regions of Lancashire and Yorkshire in Northern England during the medieval period.

The earliest recorded mention of the name can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Herlui" and "Herlewine". These were likely early spellings of the name, reflecting the Norman influence on English at the time.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various records as "Herteley", "Hertley", and "Hartley". These variations suggest the name's connection to the Old English words "heorot" (hart or stag) and "leah" (meadow or clearing).

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Sir John Harley, who lived in the 14th century and was a notable Knight of the Garter during the reign of King Edward III. Another notable figure was Sir Robert Harley (1579-1656), who served as Master of the Mint under King Charles I and was a prominent member of Parliament.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the name was well-established in various parts of England, particularly in the counties of Staffordshire, Shropshire, and Worcestershire. Notable individuals from this period include:

1. Edward Harley, 2nd Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer (1689-1741), a renowned bibliophile and collector of manuscripts. 2. Thomas Harley (1730-1804), a British naval officer who served in the American Revolutionary War. 3. George Harley (1828-1896), a British physician and pathologist who made significant contributions to the field of medicine.

In more recent history, the surname has been associated with notable individuals such as:

1. Robert Harley (1828-1910), an English engineer and inventor who designed the first successful safety bicycle. 2. Walter Harley (1868-1937), the co-founder of the Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Company, which was established in 1903.

The name Harley has also been linked to various place names in England, such as Hartley Wintney in Hampshire, Hartley in Kent, and Hartley Green in Buckinghamshire, further emphasizing its connection to the Old English words for "hart" and "meadow".

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Harley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Harley surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 512 Harleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.36x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 512 1.36x
Staffordshire 363 2.86x
Fife 305 13.68x
Lanarkshire 250 2.05x
Lancashire 185 0.41x
Shropshire 167 5.13x
Surrey 148 0.81x
Stirlingshire 132 9.50x
Midlothian 112 2.22x
Renfrewshire 99 3.39x
Yorkshire 98 0.26x
Kent 93 0.72x
Warwickshire 91 0.96x
Devon 84 1.07x
Perthshire 82 4.85x
Worcestershire 80 1.63x
Cambridgeshire 75 3.14x
Hampshire 66 0.86x
Leicestershire 66 1.58x
Durham 45 0.40x
Angus 40 1.15x
Essex 37 0.50x
Glamorgan 37 0.56x
Lincolnshire 37 0.61x
Nottinghamshire 36 0.71x
Derbyshire 35 0.59x
Kinross-shire 35 36.77x
Northamptonshire 35 0.99x
Monmouthshire 31 1.14x
Norfolk 31 0.54x
Buckinghamshire 27 1.19x
Sussex 27 0.43x
Clackmannanshire 26 8.36x
Bedfordshire 24 1.23x
Ayrshire 23 0.82x
Roxburghshire 23 3.37x
Aberdeenshire 22 0.63x
Dunbartonshire 22 2.17x
Gloucestershire 22 0.30x
Radnorshire 22 7.24x
Herefordshire 19 1.23x
Oxfordshire 18 0.77x
Berkshire 17 0.60x
Cheshire 17 0.20x
Northumberland 17 0.30x
Cumberland 16 0.49x
Wigtownshire 16 3.20x
Hertfordshire 15 0.58x
Somerset 13 0.21x
West Lothian 10 1.76x
Flintshire 9 0.89x
Suffolk 8 0.17x
Carmarthenshire 7 0.44x
East Lothian 7 1.40x
Buteshire 6 2.63x
Kirkcudbrightshire 6 1.10x
Dorset 5 0.20x
Huntingdonshire 3 0.40x
Cornwall 2 0.05x
Isle of Man 2 0.29x
Peeblesshire 1 0.56x
Royal Navy 1 0.22x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 82 Harleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.04x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 82 4.04x
Islington London 80 2.19x
Falkirk 72 22.15x
Govan 69 2.29x
Mile End Old Town London 59 7.36x
Wolverhampton 56 5.73x
Glasgow 54 2.50x
Dunfermline 53 15.46x
Barony 48 1.56x
Birmingham 46 1.45x
Littleport 41 89.99x
St Marylebone London 41 2.04x
Aston 40 1.53x
West Greenock 40 7.64x
Bermondsey 33 2.94x
St Andrews 28 27.61x
Maryhill 27 11.33x
West Bromwich 27 3.71x
Dysart 26 17.32x
Shoreditch London 26 1.59x
Alloa 25 16.58x
St Pancras London 25 0.82x
Cannock 24 10.82x
East Greenock 24 8.71x
Ferry Port On Craig 24 65.45x
Wednesbury 24 7.56x
Fossoway 23 140.59x
Kingswinford 23 4.98x
Stoke Upon Trent 23 1.71x
Camberwell 22 0.91x
Oldbury 22 9.09x
Paddington London 22 1.59x
Stirling 22 12.56x
Turvey 22 178.57x
West Derby 21 1.61x
Larbert 20 24.09x
Rugeley 20 21.93x
St Martin In Fields 20 8.87x
West Ham 20 1.22x
Cupar 19 19.60x
Liverpool 19 0.70x
Markinch 19 25.11x
Liff Benvie 18 3.40x
Deptford St Paul 17 1.72x
Kirkcaldy 17 15.38x
Plymouth St Andrew 17 2.82x
Southwark Christchurch 17 9.64x
Wellingborough 17 9.55x
Newport 16 38.22x
Penarth 16 24.97x
Bethnal Green London 14 0.86x
Clerkenwell London 14 1.58x
Clifton 14 3.75x
Hucknall Torkard 14 10.88x
Old Monkland 14 2.90x
Saline 14 113.54x
Southampton St Mary 14 2.88x
St George In East London 14 3.95x
St Martin Lincoln 14 25.06x
Tormoham 14 4.22x
Bicker 13 139.49x
Harborne 13 3.19x
Kingsbarns 13 126.83x
Muckhart 13 166.45x
Poplar London 13 1.83x
Sedgley 13 2.75x
Slamannan 13 17.09x
St Anne Soho London 13 6.05x
Tettenhall 13 16.73x
Brighton 12 0.94x
Dudley 12 2.01x
Fulham London 12 2.20x
Hawick 12 7.86x
Lambeth 12 0.37x
Mynyddyslwyn 12 11.18x
Ratho 12 51.02x
Rusholme 12 10.07x
Shrewsbury St Julian 12 14.91x
St George Hanover Square 12 1.81x
Hackney London 11 0.52x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Harley surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 182
Elizabeth 108
Sarah 94
Jane 49
Ellen 48
Eliza 45
Ann 44
Emma 44
Alice 42
Margaret 32
Annie 29
Florence 27
Hannah 26
Emily 25
Caroline 21
Louisa 20
Maria 20
Martha 18
Catherine 16
Fanny 16
Agnes 15
Charlotte 15
Clara 15
Anne 14
Edith 13
Harriett 13
Rebecca 13
Ada 12
Lucy 11
Frances 10
Harriet 10
Kate 9
Rose 9
Susan 8
Amy 7
Bridget 6
Grace 6
Jessie 6
Beatrice 5
Elizth. 5
Helen 5
Lizzie 5
Louise 5
Anna 4
Dorothy 4
Esther 4
Isabella 4
Lily 4
Margt. 4
Matilda 4

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Harley surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 160
William 160
George 107
Thomas 90
James 79
Edward 57
Henry 50
Joseph 47
Charles 40
Robert 30
Alfred 25
Samuel 23
Walter 23
Arthur 19
Frederick 18
Albert 14
Richard 14
Harry 12
Herbert 12
Isaac 12
Francis 11
Benjamin 10
Frank 10
Edwin 9
Ernest 9
Wm. 9
Daniel 8
Timothy 8
Alexander 6
David 6
Fredrick 6
Jeremiah 6
Michael 6
Tom 6
Willm. 6
Andrew 5
Patrick 5
Chas. 4
Cornelius 4
Matthew 4
Philip 4
Saml. 4
Thos. 4
Christopher 3
Edwd. 3
Gillaway 3
Percy 3
Reuben 3
Eben 2
Price 2

FAQ

Harley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Harley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,865 people were recorded with the Harley surname. That placed it at #1,181 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Harley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,943 in 2016. That gives Harley a modern rank of #1,132.

What does the Harley surname mean?

From an English place name meaning "hare clearing," or a meadow where hares are found.

What does the Harley map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Harley bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.